Write a commentWhen Mustard’s Retreat rolls into town on Saturday, March 24, prepare to be entertained! Mustard’s Retreat is the midwest duo David Tamulevich and Michael Hough who first performed at the Music Hall in the 80’s and have performed 4,000 shows and travelled a million miles since. The venue is Oswego’s McCrobie Civic Center and time is 7:30 pm. Tickets are $16 ($18 at the door).
Spike Barkin, who produces the prestigious Roots of American Music Festival at New York City’s Lincoln Center, wrote to say it seemed like David and Michael “take your living room on the road with you and invite people in as friends.”
David Siglin, of Ann Arbor’s premier folk club, The Ark, where Mustard’s Retreat did their first open mic said, “In order to last, there has to be more than just talent – you have to enjoy playing, enjoy audiences and enjoy being in front of them. Audiences go to your shows because they know they will be entertained.”
Margie Rosenkranz, manager of the Eighth Step at Proctor’s Theatre in Schenectady, NY, said a Mustard’s Retreat show “reminds us why we’re doing this, pulls people together,” adding that the duo transcends the vagaries of passing trends because they remain so “in tune with the audience.”
“They are so warm and friendly and giving on stage, completely in touch with their audience,” said Tom Paxton, a folk music star for more than 40 years. “There are no barriers at all, and you just love to watch that and be part of it. But the thing that strikes me about them from Jump Street – and that makes it all work so well – is that their time is so tight. Michael is such a wonderful, simple bass player; his time is just flawless. And that’s why two guys can move you musically the way they do – they have a gorgeous sense of time and tempo, a real musicality to what they do. They’re nice guys on stage and entertaining as hell, but there’s also music in them.”
“We take our writing very seriously.” says Tamulevich, “No matter if it is a serious or humorous song. A song is a tool to communicate a feeling or a story, ...to connect and find some common ground....and we want them to be as effective as we can make it. Michael and I are both very different people and writers; having different strengths, and that diversity, when we can get it right, can make a song a whole lot richer and more effective. It is a very rewarding process.”
To learn more about Mustard’s Retreat or listen to a video clip, explore their website at: www.mustardsretreat.com The venue is the McCrobie Civic Center, 41 Lake Street, Oswego. The atmosphere is intimate with candle-lit tables surrounding a small stage.
Desserts and beverages are available for purchase. Performances consist of three stages: The National Stage, Open Mic Fridays, and the Hook. All shows start at 7:30 pm and doors open at 7:00.
Tickets can be purchased on-line at http:// oswegomusichall.org/ or at the river’s end bookstore, 19 West Bridge Street in Oswego; also at any Hook or Saturday concert. Children under 12 are half- price and those under 5 are free.
Next up on the National Stage is folk legend, Tom Rush accompanied by Matt Nakoa, performing Saturday, April 7, 2018. Admission is $33 with $3 off for advance purchase.
Open Mic Fridays take place on the same weekend as National Stage concerts. Greg Hoover will guest host the next Open Mic on March 23. Admission is $2.
The Hook Songwriter series featuring Mark Wahl, Colleen Kattau and Dave Wolever, will take place on Friday, March 16. Admission is $12.
For a complete performance schedule and ticket information, visit the website at http:// oswegomusichall.org/ or stop at the river’s end bookstore, 19 West Bridge Street in Oswego.
The Oswego Music Hall is a not-for-profit community arts organization, founded to provide a performance venue for the community and support for performing artists. It is run wholly by volunteers since its inception 40 years ago. Volunteers can earn admission to shows through various tasks— from running the sound board to making popcorn. Students can also earn credit for community service. Find more information online at http:// oswegomusichall.org/ or email: OCPAoswego@gmail.com.
Concerts are made possible in part with funding by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
